General Astronomy

Astronomy is the scientific study of the universe as a whole, and of celestial bodies and the underlying physics governing those bodies. It is, in a sense, one of the oldest of the natural sciences, having been practiced by even very ancient civilizations, but it is also among the most modernized of the sciences, having extensively exploited advances in technology. The progress of technology has dramatically improved our understanding of the universe, and revealed a richer tapestry than had ever been imagined. This Wikibook introduces the advanced secondary or beginning university student to that tapestry and the process that revealed it to humanity. It presents astronomy not only as a field of knowledge, but also as a human endeavor in science.